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UAS-Rx: Drone for Fire Prescriptions, Experiences and Support

We had an amazing experience at Homestead National Park, assessing the NIMBUS drone technology as it navigated without trouble across ignited and not-ignited areas, deploying ignition spheres at the specified temporal intervals and within yards of the specified targets. We also got a trove of data collected that is being analyzed, together with feedback obtained directly through the interactions with the fire personnel on the ground, which will help to drive the next step forward with the technology. My friend and colleague Carrick Detweiler posted a nice blog of it at the NIMBUS web site, and we got plenty of press (from the NY Times to Popular Mechanics). Special thanks to our students Jim, Evan, Chris, and Becca, to our collaborators Dirac and Craig, and to our enablers at Homestead Jesse and Mark, for making this test so successful.

The drone returns to the side of the burn area for a reload of fire balls and the chemical to make them burn. The balls are carried aloft in the tubular structure atop the drone. The ball has a chemical powder in it and while airborne, the drone will inject a second chemical. The drone then drops the ball and it bursts into flames within 60 seconds.